Origination

Mortgage credit availability decreased in December on reduced affordable, low-down-payment loan programs, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Federal Reserve's interest rate increase has commercial real estate debt and equity financing players even more upbeat about their prospects in 2016.

Ditech Financial, a subsidiary of Walter Investment Management, is exiting the distributed retail mortgage production channel.

Consumers became more encouraged by the housing market in December, as they reflected on their higher wages compared to a year earlier, Fannie Mae said.

Owens Realty Mortgage has promoted its chief financial officer, Bryan Draper, to chief executive and president.

Forget bigger is better. Several private-equity-backed lenders are making loans to small landlords, who represent the biggest chunk of the home-rental market and get less help from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than they once did.

Mortgage rates rang in the new year by keeping below 4%, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Freddie Mac has formed a partnership with the Lenders One Mortgage co-operative to give its members benefits on pricing and in other areas.

CoreLogic has purchased the remaining 49.9% ownership in RELS LLC, becoming the real estate asset valuation and appraisal services provider's sole owner.

As the purchase market heats up, banks are looking to utilize digital tools meant to make the daunting homebuying experience easier.